Apparatus for separating composite oils



F. E. VAN TILBURG. APFARATUSFOR SEFARATING COMPOSITE OILS. APPLICATION FILED FEB.18,1918.

1 26,230. Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Fig. 1

fiwm 75 7275617? By WW FRANK E. VAN TILBURG, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

APPARATUS FOR sEPARA'rING COMPOSITE oILsf Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. so, rare.

Application filed February 18, 1918. Serial N 'o. 217,968. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. VAN T'IL- separating composite oils, and has for its object particularly to operate upon what are known as'heavy oils after the usual process of fractional distillation has taken out what is supposed to be the gasolene content of such oils. By the practice of my process I am able to make a still further separation producing either distillates having a lower end point, or a larger quantity of distillates having the same end point as maybe produced by known processes of separation. By end point I refer to that characteristic of a so-called distillate which indicates to the trade the temperature at which the last of any sample of oil or distillate is carried over in gaseous form from the test heater. The lower this end point or ,final temperaturethe better will be the quality of distillate, particularly for the purpose of use in explosive engines.

In carrying out my invention I provide means for heating the composite oil'to .a degree suilicient to turn it all 'to vapor. This vapor passes through one or more expansion chambers leaving said expansion chambers by means of -a restricted passageway into which vapor is admitted through a relatively small opening. Each of said passageways is intermittently sealed by the liquid condensing therein and the liquid seal at the bottom of the passageway, by gravity or otherwise, is caused to pulsate, which produces afluctuation of pressure to which the gas in the passageway is subjected thereby affecting the molecules of the heavier ends in vapor passing into the passageway so as .to bring about condensation thereof.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof and are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating an application of my invention inone form,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus for carrying out my invention.

Fig. 2is a sectional elevation of one form of the separator. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of another form of separator. Fig. l shows a corresponding sectional view of still another form of separator.

As illustrated, the heavy composite oil to be separated is fed through suitable pipe connections 10 into a boiler 11 overlying a fire-box 12 by which such oil is gasified. The vapor rises through a pipe 13 and passes through expansion chambers 14 and 15 and members therein hereafter to be described whereby the heavier ends of said vapor are re-condensed. The entire uncondensed portion of the vapor passes over through a pipe 16 to a condenser 17. The condensed portion of the vapor may either be returned to the boiler 11 or passed ofl" through pipes 18 and 19 to a second receiver 20. As shown in Fig. 2, the casing 141 embodies a chamber 21 within which is a pipe 22 provided with a nozzle 23 at its lower end. ,This nozzle is shown in the example of the drawing as being slightly offset or turned to one side so as not to overlie the end of a discharge pipe 24 which extends through the center of a pan 25 supported in the lower part of the chamber 21. The pipe 24 passes through the center of the pipe 13 into the boiler 11 and; has a portion 26 extended upward into pan 25 but below the top so that liquid condensing and delivered in the pan will flow out through the pipe 24: unless it is carried away by means hereinafter described. The pipe member 22 has a single relatively small aperture 27 close to the upper portion of chamber 21. Thelower end of nozzle 23 is normally closed by a cone shaped valve 28 which is carried by a stem 29 pivoted at 30 to a bracket arm 31 fast on the nozzle 23. An adjustable weight'32 slightly overbalances the weightof the member 28 so as to hold it in closing posltion.

As liquid forms within the nozzle 23 the the pipe member 22 has aportion 34 extending through the bottom of the casing 15 Within the casing 15. is a pipe member 36 having openingthereinto a single aperture 37 located near the top of the chamber 38 formed within the casing 15 Pipe member v to be regasified.

36 is provided with a nozzle 39 overlying a pan -10 supported at the bottom of the chamber 38. A conical valve 41 closes the lower end of the nozzle 39 and is carried by a stem 42 pivoted at 43 to a bracket 1-1 and normally held in closing position by an adjustable weight in a manner similar to valve member 28 heretofore described. As vapor condenses within pipe member 36 it will intermittently overbalance the weight 45 so as to cause the valve member -11 to descend, momentarily opening the nozzle 39 to permit escape of condensed liquid into pan 40. If it is desired that this liquid shall return to the boiler 11 it does so by flowing over the edge of pan 40 and down the sloping bottom of chamber 38 and through pipe 22 to pan 25 and finally through pipe 24 into boiler 11.- It is however, usually desirable to withdraw condensation immediately from chambers 14: and 15 as this prevents their being re-gasified and thus saves heat and increases the efficiency of the apparatus. To accomplish this the pipe 18 has a portion 46 which passes through the wall of the casing 15 and through the wall of the pan 40, as indicated in Fig.2. A cock 47 opens or closes this pipe as may be desired. The pipe 19 similarly has a portion 48 which enters chamber 21 and opens into pan 25. A cock -19 closes or opens pipe 19 as may be desired. Pipes 18 and 19 unite in a delivery pipe 50 which has formed therein a sealing trap 51 and delivers into receptacle 20. By opening cocks 47 and 49 the condensed liquids within chambers 21 and 38 may practically all be withdrawn and stored as the heavy end of the separation. If desired, a further separation may be effected by rerunning the condensates stored in receptacle 20. If the cooks 47 and 49 are closed then the condensates will flow back into that tank In the form of invention shown in. Fig. 3 a container 52 receives gas from pipe 13 and discharges it through pipe 16. The pipe 53 has an opening 55 near the top of chamber 54 formed by the casing 52 and has a nozzle 56 extended to a point near the bottom of a pan 57. A pipe 58 extends through the bottom of pan 57 to a point 59 wellabove the discharge end of nozzle 56 and below the upper edges oft-he pan 57. The pipe 58- discharges against a wall of the chamber 54. A withdrawal pipe 60 also enters pan 57. In this form of device the end of the pipe member 53 is kept continuously sealedby the liquid in pan 57. As shown in Fig. 4 a casing 61 forms a chamber 62 having at the bottom thereof a pan 63 and receiving vapor from deliverv pipe 13. A pipe 6 1 communicates with the discharge pipe 16, as inthe other forms. and is provided with a single opening 65 near the top of the chamber 62. The lower end of the pipe 6 1 has a nozzle 66 extending into a trap 67 with a discharge pipe 68 running from said trap and overlying the pan 63. By means of pipe 70 controlled by cock 71 the condensation in pan 63 may, if desired, be withdrawn.

.In the examples shown in the modification in Figs. 3 and 4 the seal of the inner pipe member is effected entirely by liquid condensation and is constant. In the other case there will be slight fluctuation in the liquid level due to the irregular withdrawal of liquids from the pipes. In the preferred form of Fig. 1 where theseal is effected by the valve member 28 or 42 in conjunction with the liquid being condensed there will be intermittent fluctuation of the liquid level during moments of discharge which causes a pulsating action'within pipe member 22 and 36 which pulsating has the effect of increasing condensation of the heavier ends of the composite vapor which it is desirable to keep from passing into pipe 16 to the container 17 where the lighter ends of the vapor are condensed and provide the separated product.

'The chief advantage of my invention resides in the fact that an efiective separation can be made between lighter and heavier parts of a composite oil which, as hereto fore, has been regarded as impossible and a highly useful fuel product from materials from which, under known process of separation. no further fuel oil products were obtainable.

" I claim:

1. Apparatus for separating composite oils into component parts comprising means for gasifying the oil, an expansion chamber towhich the vapor is conducted after being formed, an extended hollow member within the expansion chamber passing directly through the top wall thereof, means connecting the hollow member with the vapor condenser, said hollow member being provided with a relatively small aperture near the top of the expansion chamber, and means sealing the bottom of the hollow member.

2. Apparatus for separating composite oils into component parts comprising means for gasifying the oil, an expansion chamber to which the vapor is conducted after being formed, an extended hollow member within the expansion chamber, means connecting the hollow member with the vapor condenser. said hollowmember being provided with a relatively small aperture near the top of the expansion chamber, an intermittently operative sealing device at the bottom of the hollow member.

3. Apparatus for separating composite oils into component parts comprising means for gasifying the oil. an expansion chamber to which the vapor is conducted after being formed. an extended member within the expansion chamber, means connecting the member with the vapor condenser, said member being provided with a relatively small aperture near the top of the expansion chamber for admitting the gas, and means operative by condensates within the member for intermittently sealing the lower end of the member,

4. Apparatus for separating composite oils into component parts comprising means for gasifying the oil, an expansion chamber to which the vapor is conducted after being formed, an extended hollow member within the expansion chamber adapted to be opened at the bottom thereof, means connecting the hollow member with the vapor condenser, said hollow member being provided with a relatively small aperture near the top of the expansion chamber, and an oscillating valve normally closing the bottom opening of the 20 hollow member and being operated to open the same by weight of liquid condensed within the hollow member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

FRANK E. VAN TILBURG. 

